Visible bidder



P 1938- B. A. ALDERMAN 2, 31,132

VIS IBLE BIDDER Filed Jan. 31, 1935 fingbnAAfirman- D INVENTOR ATTORNEYSPatented Sept. 27, 1938 VISIBLE BIDDER Brayton Alphonso Alderman,Atlanta, Ga.

Application January 31, 1935, Serial No. 4,333

. 3 Claims. This invention relates to bidding devices, and

its general object is to provide a device for silentor visual bidding,that is primarily designed for use in card games, and in which biddingis one of the features thereof, such as auction and contract bridge.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device which makesit possible to eliminate oral bidding, in that the bids of the game areproperly made thereon and are clearly visible to all players,consequently confusion resulting from any reason, such as misunderstoodor miscalled bids, and voice inflexion, is prevented, together with thenecessity of repeating bids, and the like. Another object is to provideadevice of the character set forth, that is simple in construction,

inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate and understand, and isextremely eflicient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like a orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the bidding device which forms thesubject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view thereof, with parts in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the device andshowing the same clamped to a table or the like.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the inner or movable member, lookingtoward the top thereof, with associated elements carried thereby.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the inner or movable member lookingtoward the bottom thereof.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the outer or stationary member, with itscompanion member removed therefrom.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a clamp for securing the device to atable.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that my visiblebidding device in the form as shown includes an outer or stationarymember I and an inner or movable member 2, both of which are hollow andcylindrical in shape, with the inner member fitting within the outermember for rotation in a manner and for a purpose which will bepresently described.

The outer member includes a bottom 3, which has secured thereto andrising centrally therefrom a sleeve 4 that acts as a bearing for-a shaft5 which is mounted for free rotation therein.

The shaft is looselymounted centrally through the top 6 of the innermember and extends above the top, with a knob 'l secured to theextending end. The knob may be threadedly mounted on the shaft 5, but inany event is capable of rotation thereon for a purpose which will belater described.

The inner member is removable from the outer member, and for thatpurpose it is supported by a collar 8 fixed on the shaft which likewisehas pivotally mounted thereon between the collar and the top 6, asliding cover 9 for an opening III in the top, whereby access may be hadto the interior of the device, so that the latter can be used as an ashreceiver, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 3.

The opening I0 is substantially triangular shape with its apex arrangedadjacent to the center of the top 6 and the outer edge of the opening iscurved. The cover I0 is of a size and shape to close the opening and isslldably mounted on the underside of the top, it being held for movementaccordingly by thecollar 8 and headed fastening members ll securedadjacent to the ends of the curved outer edge of the cover, and thefastening members are in the form of rivets slldably mounted in a curvedslot l2 arranged in the top 6, and which follows the curvature of theouter edge of the opening, as well as extends beyond one end thereof, asbest shown in Figure 1, to allow the cover to be fully opened andclosed. The heads of the fastening members ll provide handles for movingthe cover, as will be apparent.

Due to the cylindrical formation of the members l and 2, the bottom 3and the top 6 are of disk shape, and radiating from the center of thetop 6 are division lines l3 which divide the top into eight equaltriangular shaped areas, each of which has indicia thereon representingcertain features of a game of cards, such as auction and contractbridge. The top 6 has circular lines l4 thereon which divide the areasto provide separate spaces therein and the outermost spaces of three ofthe areas have the words Pass, Redouble and Double thereon, while theremaining outermost spaces each have the numerals 1 to 7 inclusive innumerical order. In the spaces of the areas adjacent to the outermostspaces that contain the numerals, there is arranged suit characters,

namely a club, diamond, heart, spade and no trump, so that the suitcharacters cooperate with areas, each of which has one of the abovemen-' tioned bidding characters therein, as clearly shown in Figures 4and 5. a

The cylindrical wall of the outer or stationary member I has arelatively large rectangular shaped opening or slot I 8 therein,disposed in a manner whereby any one of the bidding characters on thecylindrical wall of the inner or movable member 2 will showtherethi'ough, consequently the slot It acts in the capacity as a sightopening, as will be apparent and clearly shown in Figure 2. While the:inner member 2 is mounted for rotation within the outer member fordisposing any one of the bidding characters in registration with theslot 6, in order to hold the bidding characters accordingly, and toassure a fixed position thereof with respect to the slot I6, I providesubstantially triangular lugs l'l formed on the bottom 3 and whichreceive like shaped notches I 8 in the lower edge of the cylindricalwall of the irmer member 2, as indicated in Figure 3.

Formed on or otherwise secured to the cylindrical wall of the outermember and rising therefrom for disposal in a line midway between theends of the slot I6 is a substantially triangular shaped ear I! thatacts in the capacity as a pointer or indicator and which cooperates witharrows 2!! pointed outwardly and arranged centrally of the areas on thetop 6, as shown in Figure 1, to aid the user in disposing the notchesover the lugs I1, and when so disposed one of the bidding characters isarranged in true registration with respect to the slot it, as shown inFigure 2.

Cooperating with the numerals which are arranged above the slot [6 is apointer 2| that is secured to and extends outwardly from the knob I, andit will be seen from Figure 1 that the pointer likewise cooperates withthe numerals of the top 6, due to the fact the numerals above the slotare arranged to coincide with any one group of numerals on the top 6,when the inner member is disposed with a bidding character such as theclub, diamond, heart, spade or no trump registering with the slot It, asindicated in Figure 2.

In order to prevent ashes and the like from retarding the movement ofthe inner member, or to prevent the latter from properly seating withrespect to the lugs i1, an annular shield 22 is provided that is securedto and rises-from the bottom 3 and has an outwardly flared upper portionto overlie the lugs.

The outer member i has secured to the bottom thereof a socket member 23which is of rectangular configuration for the purpose of receiving theupper arm 24 of a clamp 25, the latter including a lower arm 26 that hasthreaded therein a headed screw 21 provided with a handle forcooperation with the upper arm and the socket member for securing thedevice to a table as shown in Figure 3, and preferably at the cornerthereof, and for that purpose, the vertical arm of the clamp is providedwith a slot 28 for the passage of the corner therethrough. The bottom 3has likewise secured thereto a pad 20 which may be of felt or rubber.

In practice, it will be understood that one of my devices is used byeach player, preferably secured to a corner of the table, as above setforth, so that the slot I. will be directed toward the center of thetable.

In the operation of the device, the player will grasp the knob I toelevate the inner member and thence rotate the same for disposing thedesired biddingcharacter in registration with the slot I. In the eventthe bidding character is a club, diamond, heart, spade or no trump, thenumerals come into use, consequently the pointer 2| is actuated throughthe instrumentality oi the knob 1, so that the downturned outer endthereof is directed toward the desired number, as for example in Figure2, the bid is Two no trump.

It is also possible to set the device to what may be termed neutralpoints or in other words so that no bid will be indicated thereby, andthat feature is accomplished by aligning any one of sequently it will beobvious when the inner member 2 is so positioned, that one-half-of twoareas on the curved side thereof will show through the sight opening orslot l6, and therefore no bid will be indicated.

when it is desired to empty the ashes or other contents from the deviceit will be obvious that the inner member can be entirely removed fromthe outer member through the instrumentality of the knob 1, due to thefact that no means is provided for permanently fixing these memberstogether, but the inner member is held centered withrespect to the outermember by the sleeve 4 and shaft 5, with the latter rotatably mounted inthe former, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 3.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided thatsuch changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A bidding device comprising a hollow stationary member having a sightopening in the side thereof, a hollow movable member telescopicallymounted in the stationary member and detachable therefrom, each memberhaving bidding indicia thereon and some of the indicia of the movablemember arranged for selective showing through the sight opening, meansfor holding the movable member against rotation relative to thestationary member with the selected indicia in registration with thesight opening, said holding means being releasable upon lifting themovable member, a shaft extending through and movable independently ofthe movable member, a collar on the shaft, a sleeve secured toand risingcentrally from the stationary member, said shaft being rotatably mountedin the sleeve and cooperating therewith and the collar for supportingand centering the movable member with respect to the stationary member,a knob on the shaft, and a pointer for indicating certain of the indiciaand carried by the knob.

2. A bidding device comprising a hollow cylindrical stationary memberhaving a closed bottom and an open top and a sight opening in the sidethereof, a hollow cylindrical movable member having a closed top and anopen lower end and telescopically mounted for intermittent rotation inthe stationary member with its top disposed the division lines IS withthe pointed ear l9, conv uppermost, said movable member having indiciaon the top and side wall thereof, the indicia of the side wall beingselective for showing through the sight opening, companion means on themovable member and stationary member respectively, for cooperation witheach other for holding the movable member against rotation with theselected indicia in registration with the sight opening, said companionmeans being separable from each other to allow rotation of the movablemember, said stationary member having indicia thereon and cooperatingwith the indicia on the side wall of the movable member, and selectivemeans for indicating certain of the indicia on the top of the movablemember and the indicia on the stationary member.

3. A bidding device comprising a hollow stationary member having a sightopening therein and an open top, a hollow movable member having a closedtop and telescopicaiiymounted in the movable member, bidding indicla onthe side of the stationary member and cooperating with the indicia onthe side of the movable member, the latter indicia being selective toshow through the sight opening, selective means for indicating theremaining indicia, said movable member having notches in the lower edgethereof, lugs on the bottom of the stationary member to receive thenotches for holding the movable member against movement with theselected indicia on the side thereof in registration with the sightopening, and indicating means for the holding means.

BRAYTON ALPHONSO AIDERMA

